Adam Freier: The Dog Whistle – Incitement by Subcontracting
An opinion piece by attorney Adam Freier analyzing the 'dog whistle' technique in Israeli politics, using historical examples from 2009 to 2026. The article argues that politicians use ambiguous messages to reap political benefits while evading responsibility, and warns that a minority may interpret the message as permission for hostility or violence.
An opinion piece by attorney Adam Freier analyzes the phenomenon of 'dog whistle' in Israeli politics – a communication technique where a politician says one thing, causes part of the public to understand something else, and disclaims responsibility. The article presents historical examples: the slogan 'No loyalty, no citizenship' of Yisrael Beiteinu in 2009, Netanyahu's 2015 warning about 'Arabs flocking to the polls', the Likud's 2019 campaign 'They won't decide' against journalists, and a similar use by the Reservists party in 2026 against Arab and Haredi Knesset members. The article argues that the mechanism allows the politician to reap political benefits while avoiding responsibility, and that the danger is that a minority may interpret the message as permission for hostility or violence. The article concludes with a call for support for a free press.